Creating Quantitative Timed Sets - Strategy

[cgcivello]

I have reviewed all of the Strategy Guides and have completed all of the math problems in the Official Guide Review (13th ed). I did these questions by category (e.g. Linear Equations, Rates & Work, Formulas, etc.).

Now I am about to tackle practice problems from the Official Quant. Review (2nd ed). As I go through these problems, I'd like to create some timed sets covering mixed topics. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should do this? Should I take a mix of topics increasing in difficulty (e.g. 1, 12, 35, 44, 81, 121, 166, etc)?

Thanks for the guidance!

[StaceyKoprince]

Good question. For anyone reading this for future, I'd encourage you to start doing mixed sets BEFORE finishing OG13 - don't do more than a few by topic for each main topic and then start in on mixed sets. (A large part of studying for this exam is figuring out what the question is about in the first place. It's a huge advantage if you already know what it is!)

You want to mix types (DS and PS), difficulty levels (not in increasing order, in random order), and topics.

Let's say that you want to do a 10-question set. You'll want 5 or 6 to be PS and 4 or 5 to be DS. Set your timer for 20 minutes.

The easiest way I've found is to pick a page and start with the first problem in the first column. Then move to a different page and do the first problem in the first column on that page. Do this on 10 different pages. Flip back and forth between PS and DS. Also go up and down in difficulty - don't just start low and move up. As you do a problem, put a little dot or star next to it, so that you know later on that you've already done that one.

Next time you come in, you might do the second problem in each column, and then the third problem and so on - that way, it's just easier to do future sets.

Put pieces of paper or stickies in the pages you're going to use so that you can flip back and forth easily - you don't want to lose time hunting for the DS section.

You can also buy the ~400 extra Q and V problems in GMATPrep (it's called Prep Pack #1 and costs $25). Then you can have the software set up problem sets for you - you can choose question types and also specify difficulty (eg, only medium and hard).

[cgcivello]

Thank Stacey.

I guess I was a little confused when I tackled the OG problems. I think I'll be okay going forward though.

There seem to be enough practice problems out there that I can practice your approach. Thanks a lot.

[StaceyKoprince]

you're very welcome - good luck!